Appliance inlet

ABSTRACT

An appliance inlet for vehicles includes a contact part or plug which can be connected with an appliance cable in the vehicle and a mounting device for mounting the plug on to a mounting surface in the vehicle. The contact part or the plug is attached through a mounting hole in the mounting surface and is locked by a mounting part designed as an internally threaded housing which engages with external threading on a plug housing so that the appliance inlet is rigidly secured to the mounting surface and with its opening substantially in alignment with the outside, the opening being covered with a cap. The interior of the contact section contains contact pins in the plug, and is connected via drainage slots incised in a wall of the contact section through the mounting surface with drainage slots in the mounting housing so that the interior of the contact section is drained to the outside of the appliance inlet. The appliance inlet may receive a socket from an external power source in order to provide charging current or power for the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an appliance inlet for vehicles, especially cars,a contact part in the form of a plug arranged to be connected with anappliance cable and a mounting device for mounting the plug on amounting surface in the vehicle, the plug on the receiver end comprisinga contact section in the form of a cavity, wherein in the bottom sectionof the cavity there are provided contact pins which are cast via cablesin a central section formed in one piece with the plug and which can beconnected to an engine heater or the vehicle's electrical system, viathe appliance cable provided in the vehicle, the contact section beingarranged to receive a socket on the contact pins in order to provideconnection to an external power source such as the electricity mains,and the contact section's opening on the receiver side being suppliedwith a watertight, self-closing cap.

The invention also concerns a method for mounting such an applianceinlet.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Vehicles, especially cars, are often equipped with an appliance inlet toenable an external power source to be connected when the vehicle is atrest. In particular the appliance inlet is used for the supply of powerfor battery charging or engine heaters in cars. Such appliance inletscomprise a contact part connected to the appliance cable and are oftenmounted under the car's bumper by means of a bracket, which, forexample, is attached to the bumper. The appliance cable is then attachedto the bracket in such a manner that the end of the appliance cable withthe contact part, i.e. the plug which has to receive a socket which isconnected to the external power source, for example the electricitymains, extends some distance past the contact part. The outermost end ofthe appliance cable and the contact part are therefore suspended looselyunder the car's bumper.

Appliance inlets of this kind have a number of disadvantages. Theaesthetic impression created by the actual mounting is not very pleasingand results in the appliance inlet being prone to damage during driving.The mounting can lead to both the contact part and the mounting bracketbeing damaged, if, e.g., the car drives into snow banks or the like. If,e.g., the cap on the contact part is damaged, salt solution canpenetrate into the contact part, which in turn can lead to creepingcurrents when the contact part is connected to an external power sourcewith a view to supplying charging current or current for the engineheater and the rest of the car's heating system. There is also a dangerthat the contact part can be damaged if one forgets to disconnect thecontact part and the external power supply's socket before driving. Thesocket will then be torn out of the appliance inlet, which may damageboth the contact part and cause the mounting bracket to loosen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an applianceinlet for the vehicle, especially a car, where the above-mentioned andother drawbacks are avoided. A further object of the invention is toprovide a method for mounting an appliance inlet of this kind, with theresult that after mounting the appliance inlet is more aesthetic inappearance and at the same time is safeguarded against the possibilityof damage both to the contact part, the appliance cable and the mountingdevice.

These above-mentioned objects are achieved according to the inventionwith an appliance inlet wherein the plug from the central section on theappliance side comprises an externally threaded housing which receivesin its interior, the appliance cable, wherein at the contact section'sopening on the receiver side there is provided a circumferential flange,wherein the mounting device comprises a mounting housing with internalthreading arranged to be screwed on to the externally threaded housingto abut against the inside of the mounting surface, with the result thatthe mounting housing and the circumferential flange in abutment againstthe inside and outside of the mounting surface respectively rigidlysecure the appliance inlet on to the mounting surface, and characterizedin that in the contact section's wall there are formed one or moreelongated, axial drainage slots which extend in the direction of theexternally threaded housing and are open towards the plug's outside, andthat in the wall of the mounting housing at the end which faces themounting surface there are formed one or more axial drainage slots, withthe result that the contact section via the drainage slot(s) provided inthe contact section's wall of the plug is connected with the drainageslot or slots on the mounting housing and thereby drains the cavity inthe contact section of the plug to the outside of the appliance inlet.

The method according to the invention is characterized by forming in thecontact section's wall one or more elongated, axial drainage slots, byforming one or more axial drainage slots in the wall of the mountinghousing at the end which faces the mounting surface, by providing amounting hole in the mounting surface on the vehicle, by passing theplug through the mounting hole from the outside to abut against acircmferential flange on the plug against the outside of the mountingsurface, by connecting the plug with a mounting housing which is screwedover a housing projecting inwardly through the mounting surface on tothe plug and to abut against the inside of the mounting surface, theappliance inlet being rigidly secured to the mounting surface with thereceiver end of the plug substantially in alignment with the outside ofthe mounting surface, with the result that, after mounting, one or moredrainage slots in the wall in the contact section of the plug extendthrough the mounting hole into the interior of the mounting housing bymeans of its abutment against the outside of the mounting surface,whereby the cavity in the contact section of the plug is drained to theoutside of the appliance inlet via one or more drainage slots axiallyincised in the side wall of the mounting housing

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference toembodiments and the attached drawing.

FIG. 1 is a partially cut away view of a plug for an appliance inletaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates various parts of the plug according to the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a mounting device for an appliance inlet according tothe invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an appliance inlet according to the invention mountedon a flat mounting surface.

FIG. 5 illustrates an appliance inlet according to the invention mountedon a curved mounting surface.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 illustrate how an appliance inlet according to theinvention is connected with the socket of the external power source.

FIGS. 8A-8B illustrates details in the design of the appliance inlet'splug and the power source's socket, viewed from in front.

FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative mounting of the appliance inletaccording to the invention on a mounting surface in a channel.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 illustrate how the appliance inlet mounted as inFIG. 9 is connected with the external power source's socket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The appliance inlet according to the invention comprises a contact partP which is illustrated in detail and partially cut away in FIG. 1. Theplug P is supplied with a self-closing cap 1 and comprises at a receiverend a contact section 4 and an external threaded section of plug housing11 which is provided externally with threads and internally receives anappliance cable L. The lower part of the plug P in FIG. 1 is cut away.The contact section 4 is in the form of a cavity 4a which ends in abottom section 4b. The cavity 4a is surrounded by a wall 4d which isprovided at the contact section's 4 opening with a circumferentialflange 4c. In the bottom section 4b there are provided contact pins 8which are cast or embedded in a central section 10 of the plug P andconnected to cables 9 which are similarly embedded or cast in thiscentral section. The appliance cable L is inserted into the externalthreaded housing 11 of this central section 10 where it is connectedwith the cables 9. One or more axially elongated drainage slots 12(FIGS. 1-2) are provided in the contact section's wall 4d, thusproviding an opening between the cavity 4a and the outside of thecontact section 4. These drainage slots 12, which are more clearlyillustrated in FIG. 2, extend over the contact section 4 towards theplug housing 11. FIG. 2 illustrates how a self-closing cap 1 is designedand mounted on to the plug on the outside of the circumferential flange4c. The cap, for example, being attached between upwardly projectingears 1a connected to the circumferential flange 4c by means of a hingepin 3. The hinge pin 3 is surrounded by a spring 2 which is extended insuch a manner that the cap 1 becomes self-closing and closes the openingin the contact section 4 in a watertight fashion by abutment against theoutside of the circumference of this opening.

FIG. 3 shows details of the mounting device for an appliance inletaccording to the invention. The mounting device comprises a mountinghousing 7 provided with internal, not shown threads and a packing 6,preferably in the form of an O-ring. The mounting device can also, asrequired, comprise a contact disc 5 provided with contact lugs 5a. Inthe mounting housing a number of axial drainage slots 13 have beenincised which extend from the end of the mounting housing which has tobe inserted into the plug P and towards the internal, not shown threadedsection of the mounting housing 7.

FIG. 4 illustrates the appliance inlet according to the inventionmounted on a flat mounting surface M in a vehicle. In connection withthe mounting the mounting surface M is provided with a mounting holeadapted to the diameter of the contact section 4. The plug P is insertedthrough the mounting hole in such a manner that the circumferentialflange 4c abuts against the outside of the mounting surface M. Themounting housing 7 is inserted over the external threaded housingsurface M. The packing 6, for example an O-ring, is provided between themounting housing 7 and the inside of the mounting surface M, thuscompletely sealing the transition between the mounting surface M and themounting housing 7. The internal thread in the mounting housing 7 can beprovided with a not shown locking lip which ensures that the screwconnection between the mounting housing 7 and the plug housing 11 doesnot loosen. When the appliance inlet is mounted in this manner, it willbe rigidly secured to the mounting surface M on the vehicle and theoutside of the contact part with the cap 1 will be approximately inalignment with the mounting surface, which not only makes the applianceinlet less prone to damage, but also gives an improved aestheticimpression. It should be understood that the mounting surface M can beany suitable surface whatever on the vehicle, for example in a car thebumper, the grille or a body plate.

FIG. 5 shows how an appliance inlet according to the invention can bemounted on a curved mounting surface M. In this case the procedure isthe same as when mounting on a flat mounting surface, but between thepacking 6 and the mounting housing 7 there is now placed a contact disc5 provided with a number of contact lugs 5a (FIG. 3) facing the mountingsurface M. The contact disc 5 is flexible, with the result that when themounting housing 7 is locked to the contact part or the plug P it isdeformed and provides a secure contact against the inside of themounting surface M. As before the packing or the O-ring 6 ensures thatthe connection between the mounting device and the mounting surface iswatertight.

When the appliance inlet is mounted as illustrated in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5,the drainage slot or slots 12 in the contact section 4 extend throughthe mounting hole and into the interior of the mounting housing 7, thusproviding an open connection between the drainage slot or slots 12 inthe contact section and the drainage slots 13 on the mounting housing 7.Thus the interior of the contact section 4, i.e. the cavity 4a with thecontact pins 8, is drained according to regulations to the outside ofthe appliance inlet.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 illustrate how, after mounting, the appliance inletaccording to the invention is connected with the socket S and anexternal power source. The socket S is quite simply inserted into theplug P and it will be seen that if the vehicle is now inadvertentlystarted and begins to move, the socket S will simply be torn out of theappliance inlet without damaging it in any way.

FIGS. 8A-8B are front view of the contact section 4 in the plug P andthe corresponding contact section in the socket S respectively. One ormore guide ribs 4e on the inside of the contact section 4 engage withcorresponding guide grooves 14 in the socket S. FIGS. 8A-8B furtherillustrate how the mounting lugs 1a for the cap 1 are provided on theoutside of the circumferential flange 4c.

The drainage slot or slots 12 in the plug P will basically beadvantageously formed as weakened sections in the wall 4d of the contactsection 4 and are pressed out or removed in connection with the mountingof the appliance inlet. This also prevents dirt and dust frompenetrating into the interior of the contact section 4 before theappliance inlet is mounted.

The actual contact part, i.e. the plug P of the appliance inletaccording to the invention, can, however, also be mounted in a moreconventional and known per se manner, although this method naturallydoes not form any part of the actual invention. Thus FIG. 9 shows how,in order to form the appliance inlet, the contact part or the plug P canbe mounted on a flat mounting surface M by means of a bracket 18, forexample in a channel or the like. In this connection, the bracket 18with the mounting housing 19 is inserted in towards the center of theexternal threaded section 11 and is attached to the mounting surface Mby means of a fixing screw 16 which is passed through a mounting nut 7inserted in the mounting surface M. The mounting nut 17 may be in theform of a rubber packing with a metal insert and when the screw 16 isscrewed in it will ensure that the bracket is securely attached to themounting surface M. The bracket 18 is connected to the contact part,i.e. its plug housing 11 by means of locking screws 15 which are passedthrough the bracket's mounting ring or mounting housing 19. It will beseen that the drainage slots 12 now also drain the interior of thecontact section 4 to the outside. This mounting variation also hasadvantages compared to known methods for mounting appliance inlets,since the contact part is rigidly connected to the mounting surface andin any case can be mounted recessed to such an extent that the applianceinlet is substantially protected from the damage and drawbacks whichwill arise when mounting is performed in the conventional manner.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, like the corresponding FIGS. 6 and 7, illustratehow the socket S from an external power source is connected with theappliance inlet when it is mounted as shown in FIG. 9.

I claim:
 1. An appliance inlet for a vehicle comprising:a plug servingas a contact part and arranged to be connected with an appliance cable;a mounting device connected to said plug for mounting said plug on amounting surface in the vehicle; said plug comprising a receiver endwith a contact section in the form of a cavity having a cavity interior,an opening, a wall section, and a bottom section, and a central sectioncontacting and formed in one piece with said bottom section; said bottomsection comprising contact pins; said contact pins being embedded insaid central section and comprising cables connectable to the appliancecable so that, via the appliance cable, the contact pins can beconnected to an engine heater or the vehicle's electrical system; saidcontact section being arranged to receive a socket, via said opening,and to contact the socket with said contact pins in order to provide anelectrical connection via the socket to an external power source; saidopening comprising a watertight, self-closing cap and a circumferentialflange; said central section comprising an externally threaded housingand an interior for receiving the appliance cable; said mounting devicecomprising a mounting housing internally threaded and arranged to bescrewed on to said externally threaded housing to abut against an insideof the mounting surface so that said mounting housing and saidcircumferential flange abut against the inside and an outside of themounting surface respectively to rigidly secure said appliance inlet tothe mounting surface; said mounting housing comprising a mountinghousing wall and a mounting housing axial drainage slot within saidmounting housing wall; and said wall section comprising an elongated,axial wall section drainage slot extending in the direction of saidexternally threaded housing and open towards an exterior of said plug,wherein a drainage path is provided from said contact section cavityinterior via said wall section drainage slot and said mounting housingaxial drainage slot to an outside of said appliance inlet at specifiedthickness of said mounting surface.
 2. The appliance inlet of claim 1,wherein said a rearmost thread of said internally threaded mountinghousing comprises a locking lip designed and constructed to ensureconnection between said mounting housing and said externally threadedhousing of said plug.
 3. The appliance inlet of claim 1, wherein saidmounting housing further comprises a packing.
 4. The appliance inlet ofclaim 3, wherein said packing is an O-ring.
 5. The appliance inlet ofclaim 3, wherein said mounting housing further comprises a contactelement in the form of a flexible ring disc with a number of contactlugs designed and constructed for mounting said appliance inlet on acurved mounting surface.
 6. The appliance inlet of claim 1, wherein onan interior of said wall section comprises an axial guide rib.
 7. Amethod for mounting an appliance inlet for a vehicle comprising thesteps of:providing an appliance inlet comprising:a plug serving as acontact part and arranged to be connected with an appliance cable; amounting device connected to said plug for mounting said plug on amounting surface in the vehicle; said plug comprising a receiver endwith a contact section in the form of a cavity having a cavity interior,an opening, a wall section, and a bottom section, and a central sectioncontacting and formed in one piece with said bottom section; said bottomsection comprising contact pins; said contact pins being embedded insaid central section and comprising cables connectable to the appliancecable so that, via the appliance cable, the contact pins can beconnected to an engine heater or the vehicle's electrical system; saidcontact section being arranged to receive a socket, via said opening,and to contact the socket with said contact pins in order to provide anelectrical connection via the socket to an external power source; saidopening comprising a watertight, self-closing cap and a circumferentialflange; said central section comprising an externally threaded housingand an interior for receiving the appliance cable; said mounting devicecomprising a mounting housing internally threaded and arranged to bescrewed on to said externally threaded housing to abut against an insideof the mounting surface so that said mounting housing and saidcircumferential flange abut against the inside and an outside of themounting surface respectively to rigidly secure said appliance inlet tothe mounting surface; andsaid mounting housing comprising a mountinghousing wall; forming in said mounting housing wall a mounting housingaxial drainage slot within said mounting housing wall; forming in saidwall section an elongated, axial wall section drainage slot extending inthe direction of said externally threaded housing and open towards anexterior of said plug; providing a mounting hole in the mountingsurface; passing said plug through the mounting hole to abut against thecircumferential flange against the outside of the mounting surface;connecting said plug and said mounting housing by screwing said mountinghousing over said externally threaded housing to abut against an insideof the mounting surface and to rigidly secure said appliance inlet tothe mounting surface with said receiver end of said plug substantiallyin alignment with the outside of the mounting surface, wherein adrainage path is provided from said contact section cavity interior viasaid wall section drainage slot and said mounting housing axial drainageslot to an outside of said appliance inlet.
 8. The method of claim 7,further comprising the step of providing to said mounting housing acontact element in the form of a flexible ring disc with a number ofcontact lugs, and facing the contact lugs against the mounting surfacebetween the inside of the mounting surface and said mounting housing.